


Fountain

by FeatherQuilt88



Series: The Amber Dragon Anthology [25]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Cute, Dancing, F/M, Fire Lord Zuko, Four Elements, Happy, Joyful, Post-Canon, Romantic Feels, Romantic Fluff, Soft Zuko (Avatar)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:04:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22810678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeatherQuilt88/pseuds/FeatherQuilt88
Summary: Zuko has a surprise for Jin, in the Fire Capital's Earth Embassy neighborhood.
Relationships: Jin/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: The Amber Dragon Anthology [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1988473
Comments: 8
Kudos: 87





	Fountain

**Author's Note:**

> For readers new to my "Amber Dragon" fanfic series--in it, Zuko is married to Jin, and considers Iroh his parent now. Tai and Gui (mentioned briefly) are the fancharacter parents I made up for Jin in this universe. Their house, and Iroh's new teashop, the Amber Dragon, are both in the ambassadorial "Earthtown" section of the Fire Nation capital.

A softly-giggling couple runs down one street of Caldera City's Earthtown. They have been married for a few years now--and even have had their first child--but they are still fairly young.

He tugs excitedly on her hand, just as she had on his five springs ago, when they had had their first date. Cheerful strings of paper lanterns pass over their heads, just as they once had in Ba-Sing-Se. But now, those heads bear golden crowns, and some of the lanterns have red patterns mixed in with the green.

Jin stops giggling and gasps for a moment, as the centerpiece of this town block suddenly comes into her sight.

"Oh! Oh, it's our fountain!!"

Her hands flutter, as if they can't quite decide what to do with themselves--stuck between wanting to clap in joy, and linger around her mouth in surprise.

The young Fire Lord grins from ear to ear--both to see his lady's delight, and to think that all this time, she has considered that little place so special, she would even call it "theirs."

"You don't know how hard it was, hiding all of the paperwork and plans from you, any time you'd walk in my study," he chuckles. "And _then_ making sure our carriage never drove down this particular street, when the construction was still going on, and we'd come to visit our parents."

This little square is indeed barely a block down from Tai and Gui's house, and two from the Amber Dragon. Everything has been placed almost perfectly, to recreate the neighborhood landmark from the Lower Ring of Ba-Sing-Se. There is the circle of lamp-posts all around... and the double-tiered platform in the middle of the stone fountain... and its light-box in the center... and the floating paper lanterns bobbing all around in its waters. Only one thing is missing now--the flames for the candles.

It's not quite evening yet, but Zuko just can't bear to wait. And besides, this means that right now, he and his wife have the fountain all to themselves.

"You did all this for me?" Jin finally whispers, the happiness fighting its way out of her throat.

Zuko nods. "A lot of the Earth ambassadors liked the idea, when I proposed it--us sharing a 'sister landmark' with Ba-Sing-Se. But I didn't tell them why I chose this, instead of one of the more famous statues or gardens from the Upper Ring," he winks warmly.

Jin is almost starting to cry, as she clasps his hand. "It's so beautiful."

Zuko presses her palm affectionately between both of his, before he lets go. "You don't have to cover your eyes this time," he tells her, his own golden ones twinkling. This is the moment he has been most looking forward to.

The young lord leaps in front of his lady, red robes billowing as he swivels about, half-dance and half-precision. Two sparks to the left, two to the right--again and again, he shoots tiny flames from his fingertips, homing them perfectly onto the candles, just as he did all those years ago.

Jin watches enrapt, nearly laughing again. She had only guessed before, what the spectacle must have looked like. The secretive boy from the teashop, moody though he was, practicing forbidden Firebending just to cheer her up, those years before. Now his movements are joyous and open, and the lantern-lights glitter off his golden crown.

And his smile--he had cracked one even back then, when he had told her, "Okay, open your eyes." And now, standing at the edge of the water in nearly the same pose, he doesn't have to speak a word, and he smiles even more fully. _Warm_ now, comfortable, and filled with boyish infatuation.

Jin can't think of what to say, and so she just lets her delighted laughter out now--rich and full from her belly. She jumps forward and kisses Zuko on the mouth. A few blocks down, a street-performer's erhu starts to play.

"Shall we dance, my lady?" Zuko takes Jin's hands in his own again, rubbing them gently. His voice is husky and crackling as always, but matches the grin on his face.

"Yes, _please!_ " Jin beams. Her slippered foot is already inching forward to begin.

Zuko's long black hair and Jin's long brown pigtails nearly tangle together, as they wheel around and around. They waltz and laugh softly, forgetting the guards, forgetting the tall state buildings many blocks away. For a moment, it is as if they are the only people around. And for a moment, Zuko suddenly has the odd, happy feeling that all the Elements are laughing with them.

There, in a quiet street of Capital City, around the water of an Earth fountain, the Fire Lord and his Lady dance together, lighter than air.


End file.
